Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!nic.csu.net!csun!ms.secs.csun.edu!mst
From: mst@ms.secs.csun.edu (Mike Temkin)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.comm
Subject: Re: Desktop Mail in the University Environment
Message-ID: <1991Feb10.033212.1320@csun.edu>
Date: 10 Feb 91 03:32:12 GMT
References: <3348@casbah.acns.nwu.edu> <1991Feb10.022029.105@parc.xerox.com>
Sender: news@csun.edu (News Administrator)
Reply-To: mst@secs.csun.edu (Mike Temkin)
Organization: School of Engineering and Computer Science, CSU Northridge
Lines: 39

In article <1991Feb10.022029.105@parc.xerox.com> sanders@parc.xerox.com (Rex Sanders) writes:
>Unfortunately, the POP client/server model meets only half the need for
>remote mail access.  A Very Important Feature to many users is
>accessing *old* mail remotely.  The POP model is basically "download
>from mainframe and delete".  With Eudora, you can leave ALL your old
>unsorted mail piling up forever on the POP host.  You will soon be
>visited by a system administrator threatening bodily harm!
>
>The IMAP protocol, from what I understand, solves these problems.  The
>server is manipulated with remote commands to read, delete, store,
>search, and retrieve mail.  Your old mail, in folders, is stored on the
>server, and may be retrieved remotely as John describes above.  Your
>old mail is backed up regularly, etc.  IMAP servers are available for Unix
>and other hosts;  IMAP clients are available for Macs, PCs, and Unix
>workstations.
>-- Rex

Okay Rex, I fail to see the difference between keeping your mail on a POP
host and keeping it on an IMAP host.  Both mean that the mail will be taking
up disk space somewhere (unless you know something the rest of us don't).
There is nothing special about Eudora in regards to the "keep mail on server".
Unless a DELE command is specifically sent to the POP server, the mail will
remain.  Above you state that it "is basically "download from mainframe and
delete" this is clearly incorrect.  The fault for this is in the client,
not the server.

You also point out that IMAP is available on platforms other than UNIX,
well so is POP.  poper is available for the Mac and I am sure there are
or will be POP servers for the PC.  POP is a viable alternative in a
multi-platform environment.

Mike.


--
Mike Temkin
mst@csun.edu
Cal. State U. Northridge, School of Engineering and Computer Science
Voice phone: (818) 885-3919